College of Arts and Sciences : Baccalaureate/MD Program (Bac/MD)

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a joint Baccalaureate/MD program with the University of Toledo’s College of Medicine.  Students admitted to this program are guaranteed acceptance into the College of Medicine provided they maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in their undergraduate degree program and meet all other College of Medicine’s admissions requirements.  There are approximately five positions  available to direct from high school students.  Preference will be given to Ohio residents.

Note that a similar program known as the BS/MD program is offered by the University of Toldeo’s College of Engineering through their Department of Bioengineering.  Prospective students must select one program and cannot apply to both.  A comparison of the Arts and Sciences Bac/MD and Bioengineering BS/MD programs is provided to help prospective students determine which program is more appropriate.

Program Goals

The Baccalaureate/MD program allows students to complete a College of Arts and Sciences program of study that is seamlessly connected to and integrated with professional studies culminating in the medical degree. Depending on the undergraduate major, students will receive either a Bachelor Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Arts and Sciences.  

Program of Study

The Baccalaureate/MD program may be completed in either seven or eight years.  Advanced placement credit earned, post-secondary course work, first-semester course placement, and the undergraduate major will determine the length of time necessary to earn both degrees.  The Pmed Adviser will work with each Bac/MD student to develop an appropriate plan of study to accomplish the student’s goals.

The seven year plan consists of three years of undergraduate studies in the College of Arts and Sciences and fours years of study in the College of Medicine.  Credit earned during the first year of medical school applies as partial fulfillment of the undergraduate degree requirements.  Students wishing to complete the undergraduate degree prior to entering medical school will complete both degrees in eight years.

Curriculum Enhancements

Students enrolled in the Bac/MD program can take advantage of special opportunities to enhance their academic and practical training, which include:

• Summer enrichment program - a 2-week enrichment program on the UT Health Science Campus in the summer prior to the final academic year in the College of Arts and Sciences. The program  provides general exposure to the field of medicine and includes experiences such as:
  

  •         Hands-on experience in the gross anatomy lab
  •         Clinical lectures on medical topics
  •         An introduction to patient interviewing
  •         Diversity and cultural competency exercises
  •         Contact with physicians in the clinical setting

• Bac/MD students will be paired with a medical student mentor as a means of fostering relationships with students on the Health Science Campus. 
• Beginning in the second year at UT, each student will participate annually with medical practitioners in at least 4 clinical encounters arranged in coordination with the Baccalaureate/MD program adviser and the Associate Dean or Assistant Dean for Admissions in the College of Medicine.  Students will discuss their experiences in a colloquium at the end of each semester.
• Prior to matriculation into the College of Medicine, all Bac/MD students will be required to complete a course related to medicine in a subject such as anthropology, ethics, geography, history, public health/public policy, social work, or sociology.  As part of the course, students will be required to complete a position paper relating a topic learned in the course to their future medical career.

Admission Criteria

For admission to the program it is strongly recommended that students have:

• a high school GPA of at least a 3.8 on a 4.0 scale
• an ACT composite score of at least 29 or an SAT Critical reading/Math score of 1300 or higher

How To Apply

1.  Submit the UT undergraduate application, application fee, high school transcript, college transcript if applicable, and standard exam scores to the UT Admissions Office by December 1^st. Indicate “Pmed” major.

2.  Notify the Pmed Adviser via e-mail of your intentions to be considered for this program.

3.  Complete the Bac/MD application form and mail to the Pmed Adviser at the address listed on the application by December 31^st.  This application includes:

• the student’s personal statement
• 3 letters of recommendation
• a 1-page resume
• proof of US citizenship or permanent residency at the time of application

4.  After reviewing the applications, selected students will be interviewed by the College of Medicine’s Admissions Committee members during February.  Final decisions will be made in early March and communicated to the applicants.

College of Medicine Admission Requirements

To retain their seat in the College of Medicine, students accepted into the Bac/MD program must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and must submit an AMCAS application to the University of Toledo’s College of Medicine one year prior to matriculating into the medical school.  When completing the AMCAS application, students must agree to not seek admission to other medical schools by checking the Early Assurance box . If a student decides to apply to other medical schools, the College of Medicine will not hold a place in the class for that student. The student will then need to change the application type to Regular MD and submit the appropriate fees with the AMCAS application.

Students admitted to the Bac/MD program are not required to provide an MCAT exam score to retain their medical school seat, however, they will need an MCAT score to be considered for scholarships given by the College of Medicine.

Please note that matriculation is contingent upon meeting all requirements for students accepted to the University of Toledo’s College of Medicine. In addition, the College of Medicine will complete a criminal records check on all students who will matriculate to the College of Medicine. Matriculation is contingent upon the completion and review of this records check. Please refer to the AAMC website for more details.